Morning news headlines for October 25, 2012

Oct 25 2012 By Cheryl Mullin

Recession ends but outlook’s gloomy

THE longest double-dip recession since the 1950s will be declared over by official figures today amid warnings about the underlying health of the economy.

Gross domestic product (GDP) – a broad measure for the total economy – is predicted by City experts to have grown 0.6% between July and September, ending three consecutive quarters of declining output.

But the bounce-back in the third quarter will be largely driven by one-off factors, such as clawed-back activity lost to the extra bank holiday for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and a slight lift from the Olympics.

Marine and soldier killed on patrol

A ROYAL Marine and a woman soldier have died from injuries received while on patrol in Afghanistan.

The Royal Marine, from 40 Commando and the soldier, from 3 Medical Regiment, were on patrol in the Nahr-e Saraj district of Helmand province when they were killed yesterday, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said. Their families have been informed.

The soldier is a 25-year-old woman from Comber in Co Down, Northern Ireland, the Belfast Telegraph said, though the MoD was unable to confirm this.

Green MP makes badger cull appeal

THE Government needs to “set in stone” its plans to ditch its controversial badger cull, Green MP Caroline Lucas said today ahead of a debate on the policy in the Commons.

Ms Lucas said the decision by ministers this week to delay the cull until next summer was “welcome news” but the Government should take the opportunity to make a complete U-turn and announce plans to abandon the policy completely.

Speaking ahead of a debate in the Commons today, she said: “The delay until 2013 is welcome news, but we now need to set this in stone and stop the cull altogether.

Van Rompuy in talks with Cameron

WRANGLING over planned hikes in the EU budget will loom large today when European Council president Herman van Rompuy meets David Cameron for talks in Downing Street.

The Prime Minister has threatened to veto any long-term spending increase above inflation – effectively a real-terms spending freeze for the EU budget.

And a separate inflation-busting rise in EU spending approved by MEPs yesterday was described as “completely unacceptable”, Downing Street said today.

Savile probe to investigate doctors

INFORMATION on three doctors who worked at hospitals where Jimmy Savile had links has been passed to police amid claims they were involved in a network of child abusers connected with the disgraced presenter.

The Guardian said the trio were alleged to have abused young people in their care and were identified by victims who came forward in the last two weeks.

Police are examining individuals who might have had access to vulnerable children, some of whom were associated with Savile, the newspaper said.